TRO Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 its going to be difficult morphing from a midtable team to a top half team. To get players to accept not playing regularly will require us to be in cups and Europe...to give them games. Right now, we have last won 3 games on the trot, at the start of the 2020/21 season......so I think having a team to even challenge for Europe, is some way off....and to stay in cups, might be a similar challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 7 hours ago, Mantis said: I do get that but I think it also speaks to a lack of confidence/cutting edge on Targett's part. We need less players who will wilt under pressure. I don't see this as a lack of confidence, more so than someone being self aware. Imagine if we signed Haaland (again, imagine for a moment) and Watkins says "I'm out, I can't compete with him and I want to play week in and week out and not try to fight against someone way better than me" would you hold it against him? Everyone knows damn well that they aren't even in the same conversation with regards to ability. Why is it any different with Targett & Digne? Side note, I do think we have several players who wilt under pressure, which is why we played so much better last season without fans in the stadiums and most likely in training as well. When you don't have the anxiety of playing in front of a hostile crowd, you'll be able to concentrate better. Targett was clearly one of them, but I don't see his current situation with wanting to leave vs fighting for the starting spot against one of the best LBs in the Prem as indicating he's soft. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 44 minutes ago, The_Steve said: "Obviously he was out there at the time, the club had to do what they had to do, but yeah it was quite hard to take, to sign someone of that calibre." This is what is understandably annoying people. So we shouldn't sign quality to progress? Most likely because Targett sees Digne as being an elite player but most of our fans are already grumbling that he "isn't much of an upgrade" on Targett. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newry_Villan Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Just confirms to me his weak mentality. Can't play in front of a crowd and now not up to challenging a high quality player for a starting spot. Practically admitting he's not as good as Digne. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 13 minutes ago, Newry_Villan said: Just confirms to me his weak mentality. Can't play in front of a crowd and now not up to challenging a high quality player for a starting spot. Practically admitting he's not as good as Digne. He's gone to play in front of a bigger crowd He's right though isn't he? Nothing wrong with knowing your limits! He's not going to magically become Carlos Alberto, at 26. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Made In Aston Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 I read Targett's comments and thought what a pussy. He is that mate who stands at the back of your group when there is some minor argument with another set of lads, just itching to do a runner if it kicks off. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danceoftheshamen Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 So he gave Newcastle some tips on how to beat us. All the more reason as to why it was such a lame move letting him go there. Still staggered that the club sanctioned this on many levels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Newry_Villan said: Just confirms to me his weak mentality. Can't play in front of a crowd and now not up to challenging a high quality player for a starting spot. Practically admitting he's not as good as Digne. If you pay £20-odd million or whatever we paid for Digne, it's fairly obvious he will become first choice. The club would not want a signing of that cost to fail. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 19 minutes ago, danceoftheshamen said: So he gave Newcastle some tips on how to beat us. All the more reason as to why it was such a lame move letting him go there. Still staggered that the club sanctioned this on many levels. What? Where's he said that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 4 hours ago, Xela said: If he stayed and didn't play for 2 years, he would be accused of 'stealing a wage' and being an overpaid cheerleader! Its best for the club as well, we can hopefully make a profit on him and put it towards a young player to develop. Its like that Richards interview last week saying Villa wouldnt let him play and he wanted to play. Social media comments calling him a disgrace and a lazy piece of shit Football fans are idiots even Villa fans. Look at some of the player threads on here 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 3 hours ago, Newry_Villan said: Just confirms to me his weak mentality. Can't play in front of a crowd and now not up to challenging a high quality player for a starting spot. Practically admitting he's not as good as Digne. Newcastle have bigger crowds than us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 1 hour ago, danceoftheshamen said: So he gave Newcastle some tips on how to beat us. All the more reason as to why it was such a lame move letting him go there. Still staggered that the club sanctioned this on many levels. In fairness we are quite predictable to play against. Says more about Eddie Howe if he needs that advice to beat us 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishVilla10 Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Made In Aston said: I read Targett's comments and thought what a pussy. He is that mate who stands at the back of your group when there is some minor argument with another set of lads, just itching to do a runner if it kicks off. Worst take of the lot right here. If he wants to go and play every week why stop him. If he was a pussy he’d be sat on our bench Edited February 17, 2022 by IrishVilla10 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishVilla10 Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 10 hours ago, The_Steve said: Neil Taylor never complained and just got on with it. Also, the idea that he’s viewed just as taking up a wage and a comfy seat on the bench is rubbish. Modern football is about squads. 99.99% would be happy knowing he was a backup choice. Nobody would accuse him of stealing a living. Just a nonsense point. Completely different situations. Comparing Neil Taylor and Targett. Neil Taylor was past his best sitting on a nice wage at one of the biggest clubs in the country. Of course he never complained. I don’t understand how you can be annoyed at a 26 year old premier league footballer for wanting to play regular football. We’re not city, we don’t rotate every week. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishVilla10 Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 11 hours ago, LondonVillian said: Because they should be motivated by competition - Targett always has been a wetwipe so its not suprising Ollie has been out of form for 4/5 games now maybe longer and Gerrard continues to play him every week. Do you think Ings is being motivated by that? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 4 hours ago, KMitch said: I don't see this as a lack of confidence, more so than someone being self aware. Imagine if we signed Haaland (again, imagine for a moment) and Watkins says "I'm out, I can't compete with him and I want to play week in and week out and not try to fight against someone way better than me" would you hold it against him? Everyone knows damn well that they aren't even in the same conversation with regards to ability. Why is it any different with Targett & Digne? Side note, I do think we have several players who wilt under pressure, which is why we played so much better last season without fans in the stadiums and most likely in training as well. When you don't have the anxiety of playing in front of a hostile crowd, you'll be able to concentrate better. Targett was clearly one of them, but I don't see his current situation with wanting to leave vs fighting for the starting spot against one of the best LBs in the Prem as indicating he's soft. Because with all due respect to Lucas Digne, he isn't exactly the Erling Haaland of left backs is he? We didn't get a world class left back, if he was one we wouldn't have paid only 25m for him. Hell, if he was one he wouldn't have gone to us. It is telling that despite Everton fans universal hatred of Benitez, the reaction to Digne leaving has been rather mixed. Look, I do think Digne is better than Targett but the gap really isn't as massive as people are making it out to be. Targett is coming of 2 very decent seasons and as much as I like to meme on the "player of the year" thing, there's a reason he won it. He is a decent player, and he should have more self-confidence in his abilities. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonVillian Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 8 hours ago, IrishVilla10 said: Ollie has been out of form for 4/5 games now maybe longer and Gerrard continues to play him every week. Do you think Ings is being motivated by that? Ings strikes me as very professional so yea I do or at least angry which will fuel motivation and desire to do better and prove he can still cut it. I think Ings will score vs Watford because he has to start over watkins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juanpablosaliceband Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 I think the Targett bashing is harsh. We didn’t sign Digne to compete with Targett. We signed him to replace Targett. Targett performed to the max of his ability last season in my opinion and we still brought in a higher calibre player to replace him. If Digne is fit, he would have started ahead of Targett every time. Simple as that. I think it’s naive to suggest Targett should have fought for his place. He found the signing hard to take because he wanted to be part of the team but was replaced. I’ve no problem with his stance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laughable Chimp Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, juanpablosaliceband said: I think the Targett bashing is harsh. We didn’t sign Digne to compete with Targett. We signed him to replace Targett. Targett performed to the max of his ability last season in my opinion and we still brought in a higher calibre player to replace him. If Digne is fit, he would have started ahead of Targett every time. Simple as that. I think it’s naive to suggest Targett should have fought for his place. He found the signing hard to take because he wanted to be part of the team but was replaced. I’ve no problem with his stance. If we can't expect people to try and fight for their places against seemingly superior competition, how exactly are we supposed to build a squad with "2 quality players at every position"? Edited February 17, 2022 by Laughable Chimp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 4 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said: If we can't expect people to try and fight for their places against seemingly superior competition, how exactly are we supposed to build a squad with "2 quality players at every position"? By getting 2 players of close to equal quality for each position and then we will have competition. Having 2 players that have a big gulf in class in their respective abilities is not having competition for places as one will simply be backup 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts